General Concern x New Classics Studios

Stylish people of Edmonton rejoice! General Concern, a interior designers dream, and New Classics Studios, a modern eco-concious clothing shop have gone from digital to brick and mortar. And I couldn’t be more excited! It’s not often that two cool online Canadian retailers team up to open a shop. And as much as I love shopping online, I love going into a store and browsing so much more. There’s something nostalgic about being able to linger around a boutique smelling and touching wares. For those of us lucky enough to live in Edmonton, General Concern x New Classics Studios shop is now open in Manulife Place. Read on for a peek at what’s in store.

General Concern

Danny Ross has an impeccable resume when it comes to interior design. Having worked with Armstrong 29, Izm, and as a contributor for Avenue Magazine, he knows what he’s doing. When it comes to curating your home with beautiful and well designed items, Danny is the man to speak to. On top of stocking this dreamy shop, he even went and learned how to hand roll incense in Asia for his GC line. Yup. He’s a prime example of someone doing the most. One of my favourite brands he is currently carrying is Concrete Cat, a local concrete accessory line.

New Classics Studios

Perhaps you recall a couple of years ago when New Classics Studios did a local portrait on me and I was lucky enough to style / model a few of my favourite pieces from their shop. If not, here’s the two posts New Classics and Wear The Change for you to browse. Alyssa Lau, the creator of New Classics is also a seasoned staple in the online Canadian fashion scene having started out as a blogger on her site Ordinary People. Now she’s stepping out of the digital and into real life with her sustainable clothing shop which carries such cool brands as baserange, Kowtow, and Eliza Faulkner. UPDATE || New Classics Studios has finished their pop up at General Concern – but you can still find them on their website.

INSIDE THE END VINTAGE SHOP YUCCA VALLEY

Over the mountain and down the highway from Palm Springs is the Yucca Valley. It’s a desert dreamland that leads to Joshua Tree National Park. All long the Twentynine Palms Highway there is no shortage of cool things to see. Antique shops, cafes, and old motels line the strip. One of which, The Joshua Tree Inn, where Gram Parsons became a sweet baby angel when he passed away there back in September of 1973 is a personal favourite. My nostalgia for another era aside, one of my absolute essential stops along that stretch of desert parkway is The End vintage shop. It’s a trove not to be missed by those who adore yesteryear. Naturally, I had to show you Inside The End vintage shop Yucca Valley. Keep scrolling for eye candy that will make you start trolling flight deals to get down there ASAP.

WHAT TO EXPECT

It seems cliché to say to expect the unexpected but to some extent, that is a correct statement. There are a few things one can count on when they check inside The End vintage shop Yucca Valley. For one, a vast array of western goods. Not only are there the classic cowpoke goods such as tooled leather accessories and fringed everything, there is also a heavy disco influence in the attire. If ever you wanted to be a rhinestone cowgirl, then look no further than The End. There is also an insanely Instagramable wall outside with two giant murals that were painted by Kime, the owner, and Elena Stonaker. Pure. Magic.

THE OWNER IS KIM BUZZELLI

Before I even knew who she was, I admired her work in NYLON and FLAUNT. Her style captured my attention with it’s femininity mixed with thick black ink. I still love it.

After discovering her through her illustrations, I naturally did what any 20 something of the internet age does: I stalked her online. It was quite easy, she had a fabulous blog, The Moldy Doily, about her life in LA running a vintage shop called Show Pony in Echo Park (before it was the hip place to be). Not long after the shop closed, she became the head stylist for the reboot of 90210. One of her paintings even hung in a mansion in that series! I even fell in love with her Persian cat, Georgie Boy (RIP). As I mentioned before, I kind of stalked her work/life.

While her blog is a bit of a ghost town these days, her shop is full to the brim with the type of contents that made me impatiently await a new post. The absurd yet magnificent fashions she uncovers and many pieces of her art can be found inside The End vintage shop Yucca Valley.

THIS WAY TO THE END

In the end, The End Yucca Valley is truly for dreamers and drifters alike. Next time you’re in the Palm Springs / Joshua Tree area, definitely consider swinging by. It is also advisable to head on up to Pioneertown too while you’re at it!

Maven and Grace

At my favourite end of Whyte Avenue there’s a wondrous little shop full of antique treasures, fresh flowers, and the best. chocolate. EVER. This little slice of heaven is called Maven and Grace. Kathy Sharp, the owner, has a magnificent eye for well designed pieces and curates the shop with an eclectic assortment of goods spanning the decades. The Maven and Grace shop is constantly shape shifting with new items being added continuously. This shop is one that you should visit weekly as things come and go as quickly as cherry blossom season.

Small Batch Cosmetics

There’s a perfect balance of old and new offerings. Displayed perfectly atop stunning antique furniture are the lines: Pura Botanicals, Provence Apothecary, and Sydney Hale Co. Those are just a few options from their selection of boutique beauty goods. Woodlot is another Canadian brand I cannot get enough of. Their candles I am constantly burning and even featured in my 10 Ways to Make Your Home More Spa Like.

The Chocolate Selection

COMPARTES is a Los Angeles based chocolate company with arguably the best packaging of all time. Besides the cute exterior, it’s on my top 5 best chocolate bars I’ve had to date. As far as I know, this is the only place in Edmonton that sells this brand. Any chocolate hound needs to head here immediately.

If you haven’t heard of Lush by now, you must not like ethically made natural cosmetics that are minimally packaged and avoid testing on animals…

Lush is one of my favourite cult brands and in January they opened their new MASSIVE location at West Edmonton Mall. Massive might even be an understatement as they went from 650 square feet to 2600 – that’s a lot of space for heavenly smelling products! Scroll down for a look at the new space.

The best part about the store is the multiple sink stations peppered throughout the shop floor so you can test any and every product at your leisure. I love being able to sample products before committing to them! Lately, my favourite products have been It’s Raining Men, Let The Good Times Roll, and Charity Pot. This triple threat when paired together has kept me from my usual misery of having reptile skin over the winter months.

It’s no surprise to find out that their most popular products are their bath bombs as well as their skincare – they both have a whole wall and a sink station devoted to each of these lines. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as dropping a fresh bath bomb in to water!

Now open in their new bi-level location, LUX Beauty Boutique is back and better than before. If you’re a cosmetic junkie, chances are you’ve made this place a second home.

Located in the High Street shopping nook, LUX has curated a collection of beauty products that far exceed your expectations. Each item is handpicked and brands need to be exceptional to be carried here.

On the main floor, one should expect to find an array of beauty products to test out and admire the packaging of (everything in this store is attractive). I highly recommend swanning around and doing a lap of the shop before stopping at each delightful brand.

Downstairs they’ve set up a beauty lounge for soirees, bridal parties, and tutorials. The space gives off a decadent feeling since the furniture, which is all vintage, is brass and velvet; my heart be still.

Expect to find cult brands such as Jin Soon nail polish (my current favourite) the highly rated and raved about Ouai (their dry shampoo is supposedly a god-send), and Lipstick Queen (easily the best pigmented lipsticks out there).

Another service LUX offers is their 4 Seasons Boxes. Once you purchase a subscription, you fill out a short survey and each season you receive a customized beauty box. HOW COOL IS THAT? More info on that HERE.

This Must Be The Place is a holiday pop up shop in Vacancy Hall, located in the basement of the Mercer Warehouse with a curated collection of local artists and designers. It’s the perfect spot to pick out a thoughtful gift for your mom, a close gal pal, or even something for yourself from “Santa.” Keep scrolling for a sampling of their handmade offerings which include jewelry, leather handbags, stationery, prints, woven pillows, wall hangings, and more!